Decorticating-machine



3 Sheets-Sheet 1!.

(No Model.)

G. GIBSON.

DEOORTIOATING MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 24, I885.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. GIBSON. I

- DEGORTIOATING MACHINE.

No. 312,837. Patented Feb. 24,- 1885.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

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DEGORTIUATING MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 24, 1885. WWW

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GEORGE GIBSON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

DECORTICATlNG=MACHlNE SPECIFICATION forming, part of Letters Patent No. 312,837, datcd February 24:, 1885.

Application filed September 29, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE GIBsoN, a eitizen of the United States, residing at Fittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Decorticating Machines, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings,which make part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of one side of my improved decorticatirig-machine. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative arrangement of the rollers and feed-belts.

My invention relates to certain improvem cuts in the machine described and claimed in an application filed by me July 12, 1384, and having the serial number 137,521.

011 one side of the frame 1 is secured the shaft 2, on which is secured the power-wheel 3, and on the shaft 2 is also mounted the gearwheel 4, preferably formed integral with the hub of the wheel 3. This gear-wheel meshes with the gear-wheel 5, secured to one end of the shaft of the lower crushing-roller 6, and this wheel in turn meshes with the gear-wheel 7, secured to one end of the shaft of the upper crushing-roller. The shafts of these crushing-rollers 6 and 8 are mounted in journalboxes, which are located in vertical slots of of the frame 1, the journal-box of the upper roller 8 being free to move up and down in said slot, and the upper roller being held against the lower by the weighted levers 9, which are pivoted to the frame of the machine and bear upon the journal boXes of the upper roller. The material to be crushed is fed to these rollers 6 and 8 by the endless apron 10, which passes around the rollers 11 and 12, the former being mounted in the frame 1 just in front of the crushing-rollers, and the roller 12 being mounted in the front end of the auxit iary frame secured, as shown, to the front end of the frame 1. The roller 11 is driven by a belt passing around a pulley on the shaft of the lower crushing-roller 6 (shown in Fig.

1) and a pulley on one end of the roller 11,

and that portion of the apron which moves toward the crushing-rollers is held in a hori- (N'o model.)

zontal position by a plate secured to the sides of the auxiliary frame under this portion of the apron. After being crushed between the rollers 6 and 8, the material passes along a horizontal guide-plate, 13, secured to the sides of the frame 1 just in the rear of the rollers 6 and 8, and is next caught by belts passing around the rollers 14 and 15. The lower roller 15 is driven by a gear-wheel, 16, secured to the power-shaft 2 through a train of idlergears, 16 and 17, and a gear-wheel, 18, secured to thejournal of the lower roller. The upper roller 14 is driven from the same place and through the same train of idlers; but from the last idler motion is transmitted across the inachine by the gear 19 and shaft 20, journaled on the sides of the frame 1. On the opposite end of this shaft 20 is secured the gear 21, (see Fig. 2,) which meshes with the gear 22 on the journal of the upper roller 14.

On the rollers 14 and 15, inside ofthe frame 1, are pivotally-mounted the carriers 23 and 24. These carriers, as described in the application above referred to, consist of side plates, each of which is provided with handles 26, for adjusting the positions of said carriers, said handles being held in place by the pins 27, located in slots 28 in the frame 1. In the center of these carriers are mounted the main rollers 29, the one in the upper carrier being provided with apinion, 30,which meshes with the pinion (not shown) on the journal of the upper roller 14, and the roller in the lower carrier is provided with the pinion 31. meshing with the gear (not shown) on the journal of the lower roller 15.

In the side plates, 25, around the rollers 29,

are mounted the guide-rollers 32 and 33, the rollers 32 being so located in the carriers as to be in close proximity to the rollers 14 and 15 when the machine is in operation.

' The spirally-grooved rolls 34, which are similar in construction and operation to the pickup rolls shown and described in the application above referred to, are mounted in the carriers just back of the pivotal point of said carriers, and are provided with small pulleys at their ends, said pulleys being driven by belts from suitably-located power-wheels. Behind the pick-up rolls, and in contact therewith,

are located the brushes 35, which serve to free said rolls from dirt and any fibers caught by the knives of said rolls.

In a frame-work located in the rear of the frame 1 is mounted the roller 36. Around this roller 36 and the roller 14 is passed the belt 37, one side of said belt being held against the roller 29 by the guide-rollers 32 and 33. Abelt or apron, 38, passes from a roller, 39, mounted in the auxiliary frame, 'over a guide-roll, 40, mounted in the upper carrier, 23, under and around the main roll 29, and back to the roller 39, the roller 39 being made adjustable in its hearings to effect the tension of the belt 38.

I 5 From another roll, 41, in the auxiliary frame a belt or apron, 42, passes between the guiderolls 33 and 32 and the main roller 29 in the lower carrier, up and around the roller 15, mounted in the frame, and back over the guiderolls 32 and 33 to the roll 41, which is also adjustable in its bearings.

In the frame 1, in the rear of the pick-up rolls 34, are mounted the rolls 43, the upper roll being driven by apinion,44, secured there- 2 5 to and meshing with the idler-gear 24, driven by the gear 22 on the journal of the roll 14, and the lower roll 43 being driven by a pinion, .45, secured to its projecting journal and meshing with the idler-gear 18, meshing with 0 the gear 18 on the journal of the roll 15.

Around these rolls 43 and the rolls 46, adjustably mounted in the auxiliary frame, pass the carrier belts 47, whose function will be hereinafter stated.

3 5 The stalks of the plant to be treated are laid upon the feeding-apron 10 and carried to the crushing-rolls 6 and 8,whence they pass along the plate 13, and are caught and presented to the pickup rolls 34 by belts or aprons 37 and 0 42, passing around the rolls 14 and 15. The pick-up rolls catch the loosened bark on each side of the crushed stalk and deliver the same on the upper side between the belt 37 and the apron 38, passing around the main roll 29.

The bark thus caught is carried around the main roll and delivered by the apron 38 at the rear of the machine. That portion of the bark caught by the lower pick-up roll is thrown between the lower main roll 29, which is preferably covered with canvas or any other suitable elastic covering, and the belt or apron 42, by which it is carried around the roll 29 and delivered at the rear of the machine. The woody portion of the stalk, denuded of its bark, passes between the pick-up rolls, andis caught 5 and carried to the rear of the machine by the aprons 47.

By the substitution of belts or continuous carriers in place of the rolls and aprons shown and described in the application above referred to, all liability of the fibers of the bark being caught and wrapped around the various rollers is avoided.

For a more particular description andillustration of such parts of the machine as are not 65 fully described and shown herein, reference should be had to my previous application above referred to.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In a decorticating machine, a pair of c crushing or fiber-loosening rolls, in combination with a pair of fiber-lifting rolls and continuous carriers for catching and feeding the freed bark or fibers as delivered by the liftingrolls, substantially as set forth. 7 5

2. In a decorticating-machine, a pair of crushing-rolls, in combination with a pair of feeding-belts, a pair of fiber-lifting rolls,'and continuous carriers for catching and feeding the fibers or bark as delivered by the lifting- 8o rolls, substantially as set forth.

Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE GIBSON.

\Vitnesses.

DARWIN S. WoLooTT, R. H. WHITTLEsEY. 

